This invention relates generally to the field of payments, and in particular to payments on an financial account. In one specific aspect, the invention relates to the payment of a credit card account.
Traditionally, companies that provide goods or services typically bill their customers on a regular basis. Such bills are typically printed onto paper and then mail to the customer. The customer may then return the payment in the mail. This payment is typically by check or money order, although recently some companies will accept credit card payments.
With the advent of the Internet, a variety of electronic bill payment services have become available. Such services typically require a customer to provide information on the accounts that are to be serviced. The bill payment service is then able to arrange with the biller the transfer of bill data. This bill data is organized and provided to the customer on a web page so that the customer may authorize payment.
Another type of bill payment service is the Western Union Convenience Pay® service that permits utility bills to be paid at an agent location. To pay the bill, the customer provides a bill statement and cash to make the payment. Western Union collects the money, enters the account information from the bill statement into a terminal and then makes the payment electronically through their money transfer system.
This invention is related payments made on a financial account, such as a credit card account. As described below, the invention provides various methods and systems to facilitate such payments.